Motorcycling, one of the most efficient ways to travel. But how frugal is your motorcycle? Do you know? And did you compare to other models or brands?

With the 3rd version of the Total Motorcycle’s Comprehensive Fuel Economy Guide you can check the fuel economy of 5500 motorcycles all the way back to 1934, both in miles per gallon and number of liters per 100 kilometers.

If your motorcycle fuel economy is not listed (many models still not mentioned), you can take your manufacturer manual and enter your yourself the data to continue to update this guide. Would be nice if this very interesting guide would also show what was the price,of a gallon of gas at the pump for each and every listed year. Total Motorcycle’s Comprehensive Fuel Economy Guide.

I’ve been riding to work this year instead of taking my truck, which pretty much doubles my mileage. But then I wipe out the savings taking it out for rides on the weekend. Sorta balances out pretty well though.

It is horsepower that consumes fuel. Lower horsepower motorcycles, no matter what year, consume less fuel. Streamlining allows the least horsepower to push you down the road as fast as you think you need to go. In the new Vetter Fuel Economy Challenges, we are learning that bikes with less than 20 horsepower – and more that 15 horsepower – streamlined, sip fuel at the rate of better than100 mpg.

In the Vetter Challenges, the conditions are very specific: We run at 70 mph, into a 30 mpg headwind, carrying a useful load like four bags of groceries, sitting comfortably.

You may notice that the conditions of the tests that lead to the published numbers of your charts are not provided. All you can see is that smaller bikes got better mileage.

The Twin Cams are larger displacement and higher HP. Consequently you need to “feed” them a little more fuel. I ride a ’11 Road king. I’m easy on the throttle and average about 47mpg. I’ve seen a range of 44 to 51 depending on riding “variables”.

I wuz deliverin’ a $82,000. custom I just built with a souped-up 120 c.i. diamond-cut engine to a client in L.A. one time ‘an wuz at a gas station showin’ it to sumbody, ‘an they asked “What kind of mileage does it get?” I said “If yer spendin’ $82,000. on a motorcycle, you don’t give a rat’s ass about mileage!” Yuk-Yuk!! Wiz